Luminous gas alphanumeric display device

ABSTRACT

An array of luminous gas portions of a common envelope is used to present an alphanumeric display. The common envelope has a plurality of openings arranged in a matrix-like configuration. Each opening has a central conductor, while a common conductor encircles all of the central conductors. The selective application of a predetermined potential between one of the central conductors and the common conductors causes the luminous gas in the envelope surrounding the selected conductor to glow. By simultaneously applying the potential to a selected plurality of central conductors and the common conductor a luminous display is provided.

United States Patent 51 3,673,451

Tackett [4 1 June 27, 1972 [541 LUMINOUS GAS ALPHANUMERIC 3,334,269 8/1967 L'Heureux ..315/l69 x DISPLAY DEVICE Primary Examiner-Robert Sega] Attorney-Paul W. Fish, Edward J. Feeney, Jr. and Charles S. Hall ABSTRACT An array of luminous gas portions of a common envelope is used to present an alphanumeric display. The common en-- velope has a plurality of openings arranged in a matrix-like configuration. Each opening has a central conductor, while a common conductor encircles all of the central conductors. The selective application of a predetermined potential between one of the central conductors and the common conductors causes the luminous gas in the envelope surrounding the selected conductor to glow. By simultaneously applying the potential to a selected plurality of central conductors and the common conductor a luminous display is provided.

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W .RAYMOND w. TACKETT i19 BYIMVW ATTORNEY LUMINOUS GAS ALPHANUMERIC DISPLAY DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the field of symbol generation and more particularly to the field of luminous gas alphanumeric displays.

b. Description of the Prior Art A number of luminous gas display panels have been recently presented. In one of those earlier devices, a plurality of gasfilled elongated tubes are arranged such that each tube forms a segment of the character to be displayed. The segments are selectively activated to provide a plurality of alphanumeric displays. Another device presently manufactured includes an array of alphanumeric symbols mounted in a gaseous environment with a viewing aperture. Means are provided with such a device for ionizing the gas around one symbol at a time. The symbols are in different planes and there are as many planes as there are symbols. A particular symbol is selected by applying a sufi'rcient voltage to ionize the gas around the selected symbol.

Still another device includes an array of individual gas-filled bulbs configured in a 5 X 7 array or other suitable pattern. Symbols are formed as dotted lines produced by lighting selected lamps.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a new type of luminous gas alphanumeric display device. The device uses an array of luminous gas devices to generate alpha-numeric characters and symbols as a pattern of luminous dots against a contrasting background. It uses fewer parts than older systems. Mainly, it requires a plurality of selectively activated conductors arranged in a manner to display information with a single conductor common to each conductor in the plurality. These conductors are than combined with a gas mixture capable of luminous glow when ignited. This new device can be made smaller, typically 0.18 cubic inches as compared to 0.75 cubic inches for older devices. The presentation of the characters in a single plane rather than the multiple planes of older devices makes the device especially suitable for automated assembly. It is a mechanically rugged device which is capable of withstanding shock and vibration better than present designs. Its design also provides a greater number of alphanumeric characters in a single unit than previous units and its use of an optically transparent, flat viewing aperture eliminates the visual distortion found in devices using curved viewing apertures. Finally, it is a device which can be easily substituted into existing system designs because it has the same power supply requirements-as existing devices.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an alphanumeric display device which is more simple and far smaller than existing devices.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alphanumeric display device which especially lends itself to automated manufacture. 7

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an alphanumeric display device which provides more characters in a more mechanically rugged configuration than existing display devices.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an alphanumeric display device which uses an optically flat viewing aperture to eliminate the usual visual distortion found in using curved viewing apertures.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an-alpha-numeric display device having four basic parts which use the power supply voltages of existing devices.

These and other objects will become apparent upon consideration of the remainder of this specification with the accompanying drawings. Specific embodiments, contemplated by the inventor to be the best mode of carrying out his invention are set forth in the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the device illustrating a 27 dot pattern created by the common conductor and a plurality of central conductors;

FIG. 2 is a back view of the same embodiment showing the individual connections to the center conductors;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the portion of the display panel as noted in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another view of the display panel of FIG. 1 showing an enlarged view of a single dot portion;

FIG. 5 is a corner portion of FIG. 1 showing the gas-filled spacing between the front and back segments;

FIG. 6 is also a front view of the device illustrating activation of the elements to form the numeral 8 FIG. 7 is a broken away front view of another embodiment of the invention wherein a substrate is mounted within a gasfilled chamber:

FIG. 8 is a cross section of this gas-filled chamber showing the central conductors embedded within the substrate and the common conductor encircling each of said central conductors; and

FIG. 9 illustrates the embodiment of FIG. 8 encased in a standard tube bulb and base.

It should be noted regarding the drawings that corresponding parts appearing in more than one view of the drawing have corresponding reference characters, except that the first numeral of each of the characters denotes the Figure number in which it appears. Thus, reference characters 1-14 and 2-14 designate the same part except that 1-14 denotes the part in FIG. 1 while 2-14 indicates the same part in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown an enclosed gas-filled envelope 1-10 with 27 pass through openings therein. Each of the openings has a conductive material plated upon its interior walls. On this side of the envelope a common conductor is plated in a configuration such as to encircle each of the openings in the envelope. The distance between the central conductor and the encircling conductor is such that application of a voltage difference across the two conductors causes ionization of the gas in the envelope within the circle surrounding the central conductor.

On the opposite side of the envelope shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of separate conductors 2-18 are plated to the edge of the envelope 2-10 from the central conductors 2-14. These individual conductors are thereafter wired in some satisfactory manner to a source of coding logic (not shown). The type of logical selection circuitry required is well-known in the art and its design may be readily accomplished in numerous ways by anyone skilled in this art.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the envelope illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The portion so illustrated is noted in FIG. 1. The envelope itself comprises its exterior walls 3-10 and includes the gas-filled cavity 3-16. This cavity is common throughout the envelope 3-10. The central conductor coating 3-14 is shown as being plated around the inside circumference of the pass through opening. This is accomplished at each of the 27 cavities through the envelope. It should, of course, be apparent that the 27 cavities could, just as easily, be 35 for that matter, any number required by a particular configuration design. The common encircling conductor is shown by reference numeral 3-12.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged drawing of a particular area of FIG. 1 and shows in detail, the envelope 4-10, the central conductor 4-14 and the common conductor 4-12.

In FIG. 5, a slightly different configuration is illustrated wherein the common conductor previously described as encircling each of the central conductors is shown as a complete film 5-12 which again is supplied to the envelope 5-10 surface and also encircles each of the central conductors 5-14. However, in this configuration, the common conductor is more of a coated film covering practically all of the envelope surface.

FIG. 6 illustrates the creation of a particular numerical value by the luminous activation of a selected plurality of areas of the common envelope. The coding logic (not shown) selects a plurality of central conductors 6-14 via the simultaneous application of a potential to those common conductors and the common conductor 6-12.

In FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 a slightly difierent embodiment of the invention is presented. The illustration in FIG. 7 is a broken away front view of this second configuration. The transparent flat cover glass 7-20 is cut away to show the substrate positioned within the envelope 7-22. Normally, of course, the cover 7-20 is sealed to said envelope 7-22 in a gas-tight manner. The substrate has the common conductive film 7-12 deposited over the entire surface of the substrate with the exception of those areas immediately surrounding each of the central conductors 7-18. A common conductor 7-36 for conducting current through the envelope to the common electrode is shown emanating from the lower portion of the figure. It is in this uncovered area that the glow of the ionized gas will be visible. The positioning of this substrate in the gas-tight chamber 7-22 is more clearly seen with reference to the crosssectional view of this embodiment. Such a view is shown in FIG. 8. A plurality of central conductors 8-18 are arranged in the gas-filled case 8-22. The gas-filled case is filled via the filler tube 8-24. It should be noted here that if the case 8-22 is metallic, then a separate plastic coating 8-26 may be required on the back end of the case. It is shown inside the case. This is necessary to prevent ionization of the gas in unwanted areas. However, if the case 8-22 is plastic, the addition of this coating is not required.

The transparent cover 8-20 is, of course, sealed to the case. The common conductive coating 8-12 is shown applied to the substrate 8-10. The common connection 8-36 for conducting current to the common electrode is shown in the lower portion of the figure. The selective central conductors 8-18 are inserted into the substrate 8-10 and pass through the insulating members 8-8 and consequently through the base 8-22. It should also be noted that were the case 8-22 a plastic or other non-conductive material, the insulating members 8-8 would likewise not be necessary.

FIG. 9 shows a suggested overall configuration with the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 placed in a tube bulb 9-34 and wired to a tube base 9-32. Conductors 9-18 connect the central terminals 9-14 to respective external pins 9-30 of the tube base 9-32. In addition, the common terminal 9-36 is wired to a particular one of the external pins 9-30.

What has been shown and described is a luminous gas alphanumeric display device capable of displaying alphanumeric characters and symbols as a pattern of luminous dots against a contrasting background. It could be a very simple replacement unit for present numerical display tubes. It is a highly rugged, simple device having a minimum of parts. It requires merely a plurality of conductors capable of being selectively activated. The conductors are arranged in a manner such that information may be displayed when particular conductors are selectively activated. The information is displayed by the ionization of a gas mixture in the immediate area surrounding the conductor. It is, of course, apparent that many similar configurations are possible using the inventive concepts set forth herein. It is, therefore, readily realized that many such modifications may be made to the version presented without departing from the spirit of this invention. It is, therefore, to be understood that the present invention is to be limited only by the bounds set forth by the following claims:

I claim:

1. A luminous display device comprising a sealed envelope having planar sides with a mass of luminous ionizing gas passing entirely therethrough, a plurality of hollow electrically conductive cylinders completely penetrating said sealed envelope, a corresponding plurality of connecting conductors respectively connected to each cylinder on one of said planar sides, a common conductor positioned on the other planar side in a manner to encircle each of said cylinders, such that the area between each of the cylinders and the common conductor may be selectively illuminated by the simultaneous application of a predetermined voltage between particular selected cylinders and the common conductor to thereby display a plurality of alphanumeric characters.

2. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow, electrically conductive cylinders are solid conductors arranged in a matrix-like configuration.

3. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said commonly connected conductor is a single conductive sheet of material positioned on the opposite planar side from said conductors connected to said cylinder, said conductive sheet having a circumferential opening around each of said hollow cylinders.

4. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said single conductive sheet of material is plated upon said opposite planar side. 

1. A luminous display device comprising a sealed envelope having planar sides with a mass of luminous ionizing gas passing entirely therethrough, a plurality of hollow electrically conductive cylinders completely penetrating said sealed envelope, a corresponding plurality of connecting conductors respectively connected to each cylinder on one of said planar sides, a common conductor positioned on the other planar side in a manner to encircle each of said cylinders, such that the area between each of the cylinders and the common conductor may be selectively illuminated by the simultaneous application of a predetermined voltage between particular selected cylinders and the common conductor to thereby display a plurality of alphanumeric characters.
 2. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hollow, electrically conductive cylinders are solid conductors arranged in a matrix-like configuration.
 3. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said commonly connected conductor is a single conductive sheet of material positioned on the opposite planar side from said conductors connected to said cylinder, said conductive sheet having a circumferential opening around each of said hollow cylinders.
 4. The luminous display device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said single conductive sheet of material is plated upon said opposite planar side. 